> From: Indigo Nights <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 13:24:45 -0700
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: MUSEUM-L Digest - 16 Jun 2000 to 17 Jun 2000 (#2000-167)
>
> It seems to me, it's the case of One Monkey.  You know
> the adage, "One monkey doesn't stop the show."  If one
> of our monkeys walks, there's another one right behind
> her/him to fill the void, who does want the job, and
> will do it for the money for which you're walking.
> Therein lies the rub.

Not just one behind you but possibly dozens. One of the problems with the
wage issue is that, contrary to what the article Ms. or Mr. Nights cited
earlier, there are hundreds of fresh, wet behind the ears graduates with
Masters Degrees in Museum Studies/Science/Education each year. Most of them
concentrated in a few urban communities. I just moved from the
Baltimore-Washington D.C. area and I can tell you from experience that I can
offer a job in that market for near or at minimum wage and get people with
MA's to send in resumes and beg for the job. Anyone else who has hired mid
or entry level jobs near urban centers with a coagulation of Museum schools
can tell the same story.  From another thread on job availability it seems
like most graduates want to work in large, well-known institutions.  This
glut of available hires forces the wages down in these areas.  Whereas only
a few people answered the advertisement for the job I now have and I am not
a loser for the first time in my career according to Brett Easton-Ellis.
That is I now make my age in thousands of dollars.

>But life isn't fair.  It just is.

I would argue that life is more fair than we give it credit for. Sometimes
we just think it isn't because we don't feel we should have to live by the
consequences of our own choices. Choices that should be well informed but
most often aren't. Just a thought that comes to my mind whenever this thread
returns to the list. (again!)  The question I ask of all the complainers is,
"What were you expecting?" Did you research your expected earning potential
relative to your investment in your education? Did you get statistics or
testimony from people not affiliated with the graduate school courting you
at the time? Did you look beyond the few people at the top positions who can
make over a quarter million and ask what mid and entry level people make in
the geographic area you wanted to live and work and how much it costs to
live there? The situation seems not to have changed for decades.  It's not a
mystery.   One person cited their 6 years of college and their tens of
thousands of dollars of debt.  Well, I went to college for some 9 years but
I have less than $7,000 of student loan debt and shrinking.  Why? Because
when it came time to go back to school I didn't want to take on more debt
than I could pay back so I went back to school part time and carried two
part time museum jobs to help defray expenses and tuition.  When I graduated
I already had a good "in" at a museum and a heritage community and much less
debt than those who chose a faster route to a museum degree.  Now, this may
not appeal to everyone, but the point is you should plan ahead and choose
what's right for you not just professionally and academically, but also
economically.  After you get your degree is far too late to plan to pay back
your loans effectively and decide how your are going to live up to the
standard you think you deserve.  (Assuming you aren't independently
wealthy, which from what I can gather is a safe assumption)  Now some of you
may argue that very few museum studies programs offer part time programs and
therefore there is little option but to take on a full time work load and
from what I can gather you would be right.  (Anyone who knows of one please
share) Then maybe you need look harder for the program that's right or you
and it may not be a Museum Studies/Science/Education degree.  It's your
choice, but get the facts BEFORE you sign a loan form, not after. And
please, once you have made your choice, live with the consequences both
positive and negative, or take it upon yourself to improve your lot if you
feel it isn't fair.



Just my two bits worth (What can I say, I just got my first paycheck in up
here)

--
Matthew White
Director of Museums
The Mount Washington Observatory
North Conway, New Hampshire

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